


These Aren't Tears Of Sadness Because You're Leaving Me

by smallsmilliman97



Series: Stargirl Cannon Divergence [3]
Category: Stargirl (TV 2020)
Genre: Fluffy, I may have made myself cry several times while writing this, I'm so soft for Henry/Beth BroTP!!!, These kids are adorable, angsty, cute past friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:48:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25268629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smallsmilliman97/pseuds/smallsmilliman97
Summary: Beth is the one who goes to convince Henry to join the JSA, but before she goes into the hospital room, she thinks back to the last time she had been alone with him.
Relationships: Beth Chapel & Henry King Jr.
Series: Stargirl Cannon Divergence [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1835626
Comments: 8
Kudos: 41





	1. These Aren't Tears Of Sadness Because You're Leaving Me

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so soft for Beth/Henry friendship, it's my favorite thing. To keep myself from crying too much while writing this, I listened to Not Crying by Flight of the Conchords, which is where I got the title from. Which if you want to laugh after you read this, I highly recommend you go listen to.

Beth remembered vividly the last time she had been alone with Henry King Jr. 

It was the beginning of fourth grade. Cindy Burman had been missing from school for a few days, it didn’t seem important, at the time Beth hadn’t thought anything of it, but she wished now she had payed more attention. Because when Cindy came back, Beth’s life and her friendship with Henry, would be forever changed.

Beth had run all the way from her house to Henry’s. She bounced on her heels as she waited impatiently for Jaime, the housekeeper, to open the door up for her. When she finally did, Beth gave her a quick hug hello, before zooming into the house and running up the stairs. She flung Henry’s door open excitedly.

“HENRY! HENRY! HENRY!” Beth ran to him and began bouncing on his sleeping figure.

“Beth!” Henry groaned, attempting to push her off of him. After a few more bounces, Henry’s giggles mixed with hers before he gave her one last final shove. Beth bounced one last time before scooting over to sit next to her friend.

“Why are you here so early?” Henry rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Beth turned and looked at him curiously.

“Because it’s your birthday!” Beth proclaimed, waving her arms wildly in the air. Henry’s eyes widened as he looked up at his Scooby Doo calendar hanging on the side of his bed. He whipped his head back to look at Beth in shock.

“Oh my gosh! I totally forgot!” Beth threw her head back in laughter as Henry noticed a small wrapped package on his bedside table with a card on it with big fancy letters spelling out his name. He reached for the package quickly and turned back to his friend.

“Is this from you?” Henry questioned holding it over to her. Beth shook her head and watched curiosity written all over her face. Had his dad actually remember his birthday this year?

“It’s from Jaime!” Henry whispers quietly. Beth’s little heart breaks thinking about how, once again, his father would just ignore his birthday, but the sadness didn’t last long. Jaime had become like family to them over the years since Mrs. King had passed away, so she knew just the thing to write to make them forget about how horrible Dr. King is.

“She says today is a very important day, I’m finally double digits! So I have a big responsibility to grow up to be the man I want to be!” Henry beamed up at Beth, his scraggly teeth on full display. 

“Well? Open it!” Beth waved her hands toward the present, untouched in his lap. Henry tears into the wrapping paper and gingerly removes a stuffed dog. Henry holds it up for her to see and she gently pulls it from his hands and begins examining it. She finally turns it and notices the familiar collar and squeals.

“It’s Scooby Doo! She made you a Scooby doll!” Henry snatches the animal away and hugs it to his chest. He hops off his bed and runs downstairs to wrap Jaime in a big hug. Beth follows quickly and tries to wrap her small arms around both of them, making all of them laugh before Jaime wraps her arms around the two children.

“Such sweet kids,” she whispered as the trio broke apart. Henry’s smile brightened as he stared up at Jaime.

“Now, I have work to do, and Beth,” she turned to the young girl, “Don’t you have plans with little Henry here?” Beth grinned and grabbed Henry’s free hand.

“Yes I do!” She ran out of the room with Henry. She dragged him back to his room to get dressed before shoving him out the door and chasing him down the street to her house. They ran into the dining room, where Beth had made a big breakfast for him. She pulled out the chair at the head of the table, which had been covered in streamers and balloons earlier that morning in preparation. She bowed, offering the chair to him. He jumped up onto the seat and Beth pushed it in slowly. She then grabbed the paper crown she had spent hours making him the night before and placed it on his head so it was slightly askew. Henry giggled as he glanced up at the crown. He felt so ridiculous, but he couldn’t break tradition, not after five years.

The day carried on like that, Beth and Henry running around her house, being ridiculous and having the most fun. When Beth’s dad came home at five, he greeted the pair with a tight squeeze before running back outside, letting Henry know he’d be right back with his present. He comes back carrying a giant box with big hole on the top. 

Henry sees the box move and gets very nervous. Mr. Chapel puts the box down gently in front of him and telling him to open it. He nervously glances at Beth who gives him reassuring nod, gesturing to it eagerly. Hesitantly, Henry lifts the lid, and an adorable golden retriever pup pops its head out. Henry launches himself at it and engulfs it in the biggest hug before pulling it out.

“Thank you, Mr. Chapel!” Henry holds the dog close to his chest as looks up at the older man, who smiles kindly down at him.

“You’re very welcome, but really, you should thank this one,” Mr. Chapel gestures to her daughter, “She picked everything out.” Henry put the puppy on the ground and wrapped his arms around his best friend.

“Thank you, Beth,” he whispered into her ear, “This is the best birthday ever.” 

Mr. Chapel smiled down at his daughter and her friend for a few seconds, letting the moment linger, before breaking it by clapping his hands.

“Now, we have to get to the pet store, we need to get the stuff for this little girl!”

“What are you going to name her?” Beth asked as they climbed into the back seat of her dad’s car. Henry glanced down at the dog between them before looking back up at his friend.

“Elizabeth.” Beth beamed at him.

“Just like me!” Henry nodded.

“Just like you.”

Beth let a single tear fall down her cheek before she took a deep breath, steeling herself for the conversation she was about to have with the boy that had broke her heart all those years ago. Gingerly, she turned the doorknob on his father’s hospital room door, no going back now…


	2. If You're Trying To Break My Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The conversation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CanaryWarrior asked me if I would write the conversation. And that turned into a longer idea, so I should have another part up within the week!

Beth stood in the open doorway for a few moments. As she stared at the back of Henry’s head for a few moments, all she could think was that this was a stupid idea.

“What’s stupid about it?” Henry asked, eyes still trained on his father’s motionless body in front of him. Beth’s grip tightened on the door.

“Being alone with you.” She whispered stepping into the room, letting the door softly swing closed. Henry twisted in his chair to look at Beth and stared at her sadly.

“You’re probably right. I wouldn’t want to be alone with me if I was you, either.” Beth tense demeanor softened at the defeat in his voice. She hadn’t realized how broken he had become since his father had gone into the coma.

“Do you remember the last time we were alone together?” Beth walked over and placed her hand on the back of the chair. Henry rubbed his eyes before turning to look up at the girl.

“Yeah, yeah I do…” Henry sighed, “I didn’t think that would be the last time we would be alone together.”

“Me neither,” Beth whispered softly, staring sadly at Dr. King, he was a monster for what he did to Henry, but he didn’t deserve this.

Henry turns to get a better look at the girl. She’s changed so much these past six years, but also, she was still Beth. The girl who had held his hand at his mom’s funeral. The girl who learned to cook lasagna and bake a cake at the age of five so that he could still have a normal birthday. The girl who, of all the clothes in her closet, would always pick the sweater, no matter what. But little things had changed. The big insect earrings she had worn everyday since the day she got her ears pierced had been replaced in favor of small, more stylish white circles. The braces she got in eighth grade had fixed the slight overbite she had had all throughout elementary school.

“You look happier,” Henry finally speaks sadly, looking up at Beth.

“I am.” She says and Henry turns to look at his dad again and almost starts crying, but he won’t let himself, he refuses to let himself. He doesn’t deserve to cry over it.

‘But I miss you.’ He does let a few tears spill over at that. He doesn’t deserve Beth, no one does. Not even the people she hangs out with now.

“I see you’ve finally made some new friends.” His voice surprisingly even despite the tears. Beth sighs happily, and that brings a few more tears streaming down the boys face.

“Yeah, yeah I have,” Beth fidgeted, unsure where this conversation was going and worried it wouldn’t end well.

“I’m glad, you deserve good friends.” Henry looked at his foot as he kicked the air a few times, the tears seemed to have stopped, so he brought his sleeve up to wipe them away before standing up and finally turning to look Beth in the eye. There was a sadness in them, and before he could say anything else, he heard ‘You used to be one of them. And you could be one again.’ Henry shook his head slowly.

“I don’t think so…” Beth looked at him curiously.  
“I don’t think I can be your friend again, Beth.” Henry watched as the sadness in her eyes morphed into a rage he’d never seen on the girl’s face.

“And why the hell is that?” She spat at him. Henry stood his ground, even though inside he wanted to shrink back, Beth rarely got mad, but when she did, here was hell to pay.

“Because I can hear what everyone is thinking. You want me to help them, but I can’t.” Beth rolled her eyes in annoyance, folding her arms she looked straight into his eyes.

“And why does that mean you can’t help me?” 

“Because I know people are monsters. All of them.” Beth brought her arms back to her side, the sadness returning to her eyes.

“Me, too?” Henry looked up, realizing what he had said, and desperately wanting to take it back.

“No, no, Beth, you… You’re great. I…” Beth held up her hand, stopping him.

“No, you say all people are monsters, you must be right.” Beth shrugged her shoulders, “Because a few awful thoughts mean no one is worth saving.”

“Beth…”

“No, no, don’t back track now!” Beth angrily threw up her hands.

“People think awful thoughts, sometimes they do awful things, but more often then not, they are kind. They help people, they spend time with the people they love, they try to save people. So who gives a shit if they think something bad while they do it?”

“I do! I can hear it, Beth, I hear all of it, and it’s so awful!”

“I do not care, Henry!” Beth shouted, “I don’t care, because actions speak so much louder than words. You should know that better than anyone, but I guess not.” She forced the last bit out through gritted teeth. She turned and began walking towards the door. 

“Henry, just…” Beth exhaled slowly, counting to ten in her mind, “Just think about it. It may seem like people are all bad now, but… but I can’t believe we live in a world where everyone is a monster.” She softly whispered before grabbing the door handle.

“And, Henry?”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry about your dad. I know how much you love him.” She turned to give him a tentative smile before closing the door behind her and sinking back onto it. She sat on the hospital floor for several minutes staring at the ground in front of her, wishing tears would come. But they didn’t. Was that it, then? Did she have anymore tears to cry over Henry King Jr.? She sure hoped she did.

Finally, she stood up and made her way down to where her friends were waiting.

“So…” Courtney asked hopefully, while Yolanda and Rick watched a few steps behind. Beth shook her head. And she felt the tears prick the edges of her eyes, which made her smile sadly. 

“Not yet, but soon.” Beth spoke, willing it into existence. She still had tears left to cry for him, she couldn’t give up yet. She wouldn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The conversation changed about five times, and I did edit it, but there are still probably a lot of mistakes, so please, let me know if there is any!


	3. I've Been Looking Around And Searching For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry goes to Beth's house to agree to join the JSA, but winds up talking to the whole team.

Henry pulled his back pack higher up on his shoulder, taking a deep he walked up to the stairs. He stood at the door for a few moments, unsure of what to do. He closed his eyes, counted to ten and brought his fist up to knock. Just before he could, though, the door swung open, and he was standing face to face with Rick Harris. 

Rick looked at him for a few moments, scowling.

“What are you doing here?” He growled. Henry took a few steps back. This was a bad idea. He shouldn’t have come, he shouldn’t have let Beth get to him like that. 

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have come...” Henry began to turn around.

“Damn right you shouldn’t’ve.” Rick snarled. Henry stood, sadly gazing past Rick into the familiar home. It hadn’t changed much. Just as he was about to walk away, he saw the familiar figure run up and shove the other boy out of the way.

‘Why does she care so much.’ Henry shut his eyes tight, trying to block out Rick's very loud, very angry thoughts. 

“Do you want to come in?” Beth looked up hopefully at Henry. He gave her a tentative smile, before looking over her shoulder at Rick.

‘If he fucking says yes…’

“Yes.” Henry replies, looking the other boy dead in the eyes. Henry could see his nostrils flare before he turned and stormed back into the house, whatever he was doing outside forgotten. Beth beamed up at Henry, grabbing his hand and dragging him into the house. She pulled him to the kitchen, where her other friends were sitting at the bar, desperately trying to finish their homework.

‘How the hell am I supposed to know who the murderer was? That book was the most confusing thing I’ve ever read! They all died!’ Courtney held up the book, flipping through the pages to find a place that would give her some clue as to who did it.

“It’s the judge.” Henry supplied. Courtney looked up startled at the new voice. Before she turned to Beth, who nodded in agreement. Courtney smiled widely at Henry in thanks before scribbling the answer down.

“You’ve read And Then There Were None?” Yolanda looked at him skeptically. Henry nervously brought one hand across his chest gripping his bicep, terrified of the girl. Beth gently put a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

“Yeah, I… There’s a lot of things I haven’t told you…” Henry spoke so quietly, even Beth barely heard.

“Yeah, like what?” Yolanda leaned back on her stole, crossing her arms as she did.

“Like I read Agatha Christie, and still watch Scooby Doo on Zombie Island every year on Beth’s birthday,” Out of the corner of his eye, Henry sees Beth place a hand on her chest, a shy smile on her face and Henry’s heart feels a little lighter, “And on my birthday I still watch Clue. And I actually hate watching sports. All of them. They are so much fun to play, but I have never understood why people enjoy watching other people play them.” Henry shook his head making Beth giggle. Yolanda, however, was unimpressed.

“Yeah, you see,” Yolanda leaned forward on the counter, “None of this stuff matters…”

“Also, Cindy is the one who shared the photo with the school.” Henry interrupted the end of the girl’s sentence, “I shouldn’t have been showing my friends, that was an asshole move, but I was never going to send them to anyone. Then Cindy stole my phone and sent them to herself. Then shared them with the school. It was my fault, but I never meant for all of this to happen.” All four pairs of eyes stared wide eyed at the boy at the confession.

“And I’m sorry about everything I did, I know it’s no excuse, but when things get hard, my default mode is to be an ass. But I want that to change…” Henry glanced at Beth, “I need that to change, because… I don’t want to be one of the monsters.” Beth reached for his hand and squeezed it encouragingly, a sad smile on her face.

“You don’t need to forgive me, Yolanda, but please,” Henry looked at the girl pleadingly, “Let me help you guys take the ISA down.” Yolanda looked at the boy, clearly unable to process any of the information.

‘Is this dude for real?’ Henry tensed at the sound of Rick’s voice in his head.

‘I hope she agrees,’ Beth and Courtney’s voices said in unison, immediately making his tension lessen.

‘Why does Beth want him to join so badly, is she in love with him or something?’ Henry could hear the bitterness in the other boy’s voice.

Henry rolled his eyes. Rick really has no reason to be jealous at all.

“Okay,” Yolanda spoke after a few minutes of tense, painfully long silence, “Okay, you can help. But the moment it looks like you’re doing anything stupid, I get to rip your throat out.”

“Deal,” Henry smiled. He looked back at Beth and this time squeezed her hand in assurance.

‘This is going to be great.’ He thought to himself as he stole a glance at Rick’s unhappy face.


End file.
